I have 5 stamps on my trust. My biggest reason for the trust was the ability to share the items with my kids when they are older.
Thats the idea behind a trust.
Right now, it's become a bit of a hindrance, mostly because my wife would have to go get her fingerprints taken
She doesn't need to "go"......perfectly legal to roll your own prints.
If you had purchased from one of Silencer Shops "Powered By Dealer" you could have scanned fingerprints there and never need to worry about prints again.
and she would know I was buying expensive toys.
Roll her prints while she's asleep.
The gun shop keeps trying to get me to go the individual route
Why?
It's really none of their business how you apply for and possess your firearms.
For the FFL/SOT it matters not one bit.
, but that would preclude my kids from using them items when I'm not around, correct?
If your children are listed as RP's on the trust they have the same rights as any other RP. If listed as beneficiaries (typically those under age 18) then no, one of the RP needs to be with them.
If you have kids that like to shoot, a trust is the way to go.
You pass away, the trust remains valid. Each of your children has equal opportunity to possess and use any NFA firearm possessed by the trust.
But, if your tax stamps were issued to you as an individual:
-NFA firearms would transfer according to your will via a tax free Form 5. The executor of your estate would decide which kid gets what. Those transfers could be to each beneficiary as an individual or to a trust. If John gets the machine gun transferred to him as an individual, he has to be present when others want to shoot it.
Bet your gun shop didn't mention that did they?